Often when a boat is moored to a dock or pier, a boat lift or as it sometimes called a lake lift is used. The lift allows the user to moor the boat up and out of the water. This type of mooring helps to maintain the boats finish, paint, mechanical components, and reduces the overall wear and tear on the boat.
There are two basic types of boat lift; a vertical lift and a cantilevered lift. Each of these type of lift operate according to the same basic principles and has a similar structure. Both lifts include a frame that is placed into the water adjacent to a pier or dock. Typically, this frame includes pilings that are placed on the seabed, lakebed, or riverbed that act as a base to support the lift. A movable bunk provides resting support to the boat. In a cantilevered style lift, the bunk is hingedly connected to the frame and raised into position above the water. In a vertical lift, the bunk is secured to a frame that is hoisted vertically out of the water.
Often, the frame structure of a boat lift is located adjacent to a dock or pier, allowing users an access point to a raised boat. Typically, due to various differences in the designs of boat lifts, environmental conditions, or movement during use, a user is required to step across a large gap between the pier or dock and the boat. Often this makes entry into a retained boat difficult for many users. Therefore, there is a need for a device that makes entry into a boat easier and more accommodating. Preferably, this device is universal and adaptable to several types and styles of lifts.